Occasionally I save material on eco-breastfeeding that I want to share with others. One such file has been gathering dust on the side of my desk, but it contains important information. I will quote from the two sources.
“Since the dawn of civilization, we have been interfering with breastfeeding. The rearing of infants on artificial foods has been the largest uncontrolled clinical experiment ever undertaken, and it is still going on, despite the disastrous consequences. It has brought untold suffering, disease and death to countless millions of babies. The erosion of breastfeeding’s natural contraceptive effect has been a major factor in bringing about the recent explosive growth of the human population…There is no cheaper or more effective way of improving maternal and infant health and lowering fertility, than the promotion of breastfeedings. As Hugh Smith said, over 200 years ago, ‘Let me intreat those who are desirous of rearing their children, not to rob them of their natural breast.’ When will we ever learn?” (Nutrition and Population Links: Breastfeeding, Family Planning and Child Health, Chapter 4: “Breastfeeding, Fertility and Population Growth,” 1992)
“The duration of the birth interval, or child spacing, has been shown to have an impact on infant and child mortality. While family planning programmes have focused on method use and total fertility reduction, only a few programmes in sub-Saharan Africa have targets specifically for spacing and the birth interval. Nonetheless, even in developing countries with relatively low contraceptive uptake, it is rare to see intervals of less than 2 years. Today, it is clear that breast-feeding, as a major biological determinant of fertility return postpartum, contributes significantly to this interval…In many countries the duration of breast-feeding is more important in determining the length of birth intervals than is contraceptive use.” (Estimation of Births Averted due to Breast-feeding and Increases in Levels of Contraception Needed to Substitute for Breast-Feeding,” Journal of Biosocial Science, 2003, 559-574) The paper focused on the birth interval associated with breastfeeding and showed the increase of contraceptive use when breastfeeding declines.
God does have a natural plan for the health of the baby and mother via breastfeeding. God also had a plan for the natural spacing of births. Most mothers do not want to have a baby every year or as one mother told me, “I do not want to have 3 babies in diapers.” Couples also want what is best for their children. The reported health benefits for both mother and baby are overwhelming.
As an act of social justice, the Church needs to promote ecological breastfeeding because it is so good for families and it is part of God’s divine plan for families. The Church also needs to encourage couples to be generous in having children, should tell couples that motherhood is a very valuable profession and that during the early years children need their mothers. Of course, God’s breastfeeding plan also encourages mothers to remain with their little ones. It’s a natural way for a mother to learn how to care for her baby. His plan is so good!
Sheila Kippley
Breastfeeding and Catholic Motherhood (available in paperback and ebook)
The Seven Standards of Ecological Breastfeeding: The Frequency Factor (discount for LLL members; also an ebook)